North Korea is carrying out large-scale smuggling operations off the coast of China in violation of UN sanctions, importing oil and selling coal and sand to keep its economy afloat, according to experts and current and former Western officials.
The coal shipments are"largely in view of Chinese authorities," Byrne said."There's plenty of coastal radar, early warning radar, coast guard vessels and law enforcement vessels in the area. You couldn't sail big vessels into Chinese territorial waters without them knowing."
Last year's U.N. report described how the North Koreans engaged in identify theft on the high seas, using a blacklisted vessel as an imposter for a similar ship thousands of miles away. For the import of refined oil and the export of coal, North Korea has adopted an increasingly bold stance, taking fewer precautions to hide their operations and using larger ships.
North Korea also has relied on individuals and ships based in Taiwan for its oil smuggling operations, according to Lucas Kuo of C4ADS, a non-profit that analyzes data on international security issues. Last year, the Treasury Department blacklisted a network of three Taiwanese companies, a Taiwan-based oil tanker and two Taiwanese nationals for allegedly breaching U.N. Security Council sanctions.
"They've pulled out all the stops to export as much sand as possible. It's quite lucrative given the huge demand," Watts said.
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